VILLAGERS in Harmondsworth and Sipson are full of praise for their community development officer.

Kate Birch, 30, was appointed on July 18 last year, with the brief of working with local people to help regenerate community life in the Heathrow villages affected by plans to build a third runway at the airport.

That proposal was scrapped by the coalition government but not before many people had moved away. Those who remained had put a huge amount of effort into battling the expansion plans and were exhausted. The mood in both villages was depressed.

To try to address the problems, Hillingdon Community Trust (HCT) put up the money for someone to be employed by Groundwork Thames Valley with the aim of rekindling the spark of community activity.

Eilish Stone, who has lived in Harmondsworth since 1987, is vice-chairwoman of Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents’ Association. She is in no doubt Ms Birch has made a difference.

“So many people had taken the money on offer from BAA and moved away, it left a bitter taste in the mouth of some who stayed. We needed something to give us a new focus and bring us all together. Kate achieved that almost straight away by simply making it possible for the local football team to play their home games in the village by getting the council to mark up a pitch on the recreation ground and put up some goalposts.”

Association member Jackie Clark, who runs Hair by Jackie in Sipson, said: “Many families had been here for three or four generations, but when BAA made their bond offer to buy up 548 homes, they were effectively offering a free move. They bought the houses and paid for everything else, so it was no surprise that 247 families took up the offer. That tore the heart out of the village.

“I reckon I lost 30 per cent of my trade. It also led to an undercurrent of resentment between people in Harmondsworth – many of whom didn’t get that offer from BAA – and Sipson.

“Kate has been wonderful. She’s organised big events, like the Harmondsworth Fun and Fireworks Day and the Sipson Spring Fair, and she always has time to talk to people and to listen to their concerns. She has been great at involving both the long-term residents and some of the families who have moved into the BAA rented housing.”

Carline Pidduck, who moved into a BAA house in Sipson, added: “Kate shows passion when helping to organise events and encourages community spirit, which is a difficult job, particularly in times of such uncertainty.”

Ms Birch has also helped businesses attract new customers and adopt a more positive outlook. Michelle West and Glen Hollingsworth, who run the Five Bells pub in Harmondsworth, have seen a boost in trade in the past year.

Michelle said: “We took over the pub a couple of months before Kate started. We’ve always had a strong set of regular locals, but for some events we’ve had lots of people coming from outside the villages, like West Drayton and Yiewsley.

“It’s certainly helped our trade.

“Kate has set up a Facebook page too, to keep people informed about community events and it’s really paid dividends.”

Hillingdon Community Trust chairman David Brough said: “I have been greatly concerned about the terrible damage to community life as a result of the long-running threat of the third runway.

“When HCT consulted the public about our strategy, I was delighted to hear the case being made for us to do more to help the community rebuild itself. That was the origin of the project we agreed to fund and Kate has made a very solid start.

“For Harmondsworth, the role has been to support the small band of activists who have kept going through thick and thin, and for Sipson, it has meant starting virtually from scratch.

“She has organised some excellent events and begun to involve new people. We have therefore had no hesitation in agreeing the funding for the second year of the project. The continuing business campaign in favour of a third runway makes it more important than ever.”

Kate Birch remains steadfastly modest about her achievements.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the first year of the project. It has gone well because there is, against the odds, still a strong community spirit and lots to be proud of in both villages.

“My role is therefore often about encouraging existing community activity to make sure it is well supported. But none of it would have been possible without the unwavering energy and interest from a healthy proportion of the community in both villages.

“I am looking forward to the second year, with objectives that include improving green spaces in both villages, a regeneration programme for the centre of Sipson, working with local businesses and a Victorian Christmas Market in Harmondsworth, as well as Christmas lights for both villages.”